The Los Alamos Monitor has published a number of excellent articles and letters explaining the long and careful process resulting in the proposed charter amendments we will be voting on, and on their value to the community. There are two points I would like to stress.
First, our form of county government is a representative democracy. Every two years either three or four of the seven county council positions are up for election. If the council is truly taking egregious actions opposed by much of the community, the council composition can be changed dramatically in a relatively short time.
Second, the shortened time to collect petition signatures need not have significant impact. If the wording and purpose of the petition are well advertised to the community through letters and articles before the clock starts, those who wish to support it should have little difficulty in getting signatures during the allowed period.
Mark Jones
Los Alamos